Anyone had the shingles vaccine?

[Grace]

Are you sure your secondary provider will pay for it? I never had
chicken pox so I guess I won't be getting the vac. I have heard that
Shingles is very painful.

I spoke with a gal in billing this afternoon, and she told me that is what they do. My secondary provider was begun by my former employer and the clinic I use - so I'm figuring she knows what she's talking about.

Too late for me. I've had shingles and it was painful. Ellie, my ex-husband never had chicken pox either until he was well into adulthood. I can't begin to tell you how bad of a case he got. He was sick for a month. Is there a chicken pox vaccine or are they one and the same seeing that they're the same virus?

There is a chicken pox vaccine - been around for around 20 years, I think.

And anyone who has never had chicken pox will not get shingles. The shingles vaccine does not come with a 100% guarantee - but at least if I should get shingles, it would not be near as severe after getting the vaccine.

Chicken pox in as adult can be tragic. I once took care of a 35 year old woman who had Herpes Encephalitis secondary to the chicken pox she got from her kids.

[kokopup]

It has been my experience with secondary providers that unless Medicare makes a payment they will not Pay.

I never had Chicken Pox to my knowledge or anyone in my families memories. I got a very bad case of Shingles 4 years ago. Either I had a mild case of Chicken pox that was never detected or else you can get the virus in your system by other means. My doctors were puzzled.

[carole]

I am confused is this the chicken pox vaccine then? my daughter did not get her chicken pox until she was 13, it was quite tough at that age, and she had been exposed to it many times as a toddler,but never picked it up.

My son had shingles at about 22, for him there was very little pain, but then i read in young people that is often the case,i still query that diagnosis myself, and think it was wrong, still we shall not know for sure, that is what the doctor said,he never had pain, just a mess on his back, which could easily have been excema (sp).

[Medusa]

I am confused is this the chicken pox vaccine then? my daughter did not get her chicken pox until she was 13, it was quite tough at that age, and she had been exposed to it many times as a toddler,but never picked it up.

My son had shingles at about 22, for him there was very little pain, but then i read in young people that is often the case,i still query that diagnosis myself, and think it was wrong, still we shall not know for sure, that is what the doctor said,he never had pain, just a mess on his back, which could easily have been excema (sp).

Maybe it depends on where the shingles is on your body. I have a friend who had it on her back and she said that it wasn't painful but itchy. Mine was on my right hip, along my waistline and down my right leg. It caused the neuropathy that I'm now on meds for. It was quite painful and when I had it, it's the only time that I ever called off work. I couldn't get comfortable, couldn't sleep, so there was no way I could work.

[carole]

You raise a good point, oh i know it can be a very nasty and painful condition, that's for sure, i was just surprised his wasn't, it was itchy ,very and uncomfortable, but that was all, thank goodness, you have my sympathy Mary, i have read how awful it can be, infact an elderly friend of ours, got it in his eye, it had to be stitched closed, he later died, and the shingles at his elderly age contributed to his death,it was just one more thing he did not need.,so yes it is horrible and can have serious implications,so if a vaccine is available would be a good thing indeed.

[Medusa]

You raise a good point, oh i know it can be a very nasty and painful condition, that's for sure, i was just surprised his wasn't, it was itchy ,very and uncomfortable, but that was all, thank goodness, you have my sympathy Mary, i have read how awful it can be, infact an elderly friend of ours, got it in his eye, it had to be stitched closed, he later died, and the shingles at his elderly age contributed to his death,it was just one more thing he did not need.,so yes it is horrible and can have serious implications,so if a vaccine is available would be a good thing indeed.

Well, I'm doing ok now, Carole, thanx. I was thankful that it didn't spread to my face. I honestly don't know about these vaccines, though. I wouldn't discourage anyone from getting one but I wouldn't necessarily encourage them either. For me, flu shots are worse than the flu so a shingles vaccine...I just don't know how good it would be for someone who has the same sensitivity as I.

[K9karen]

My John just got the shingles vaccine. He specifically asked for it.
A few years back, he developed blisters and a rash over his left eye. He thought it was a bug bite of some kind, but I recognized it as shingles. He didn't have medical coverage at that time so stuck it out. He's usually stoic and not a complainer, but he was in agony, and says his vision in that eye was affected. BTW, he had a huge hot, red lump at the injection sight.

My poor mom had shingles 5-6 times and at first, we thought the neuralgia caused all her problems. It wasn't, but Man! She really suffered, poor, poor dear. I had a bout on my back shoulder blade, but didn't suffer too severely.